To underscorejust how ridiculous we consider this to be, we'd
like to present Dr.ElBaradei with our new invention: the
"Nuke-in-a-Box."
It lookslike a nuclear power plant.
But push the button, and out pops a nuclearmissile.
POP! Oh my!
Where did THAT come from?
With his new toy,Dr. ElBaradei can have hours of fun doing what
all kids do with aJack-in-the-box: be continually surprised when
the missile POPS
out.
Oh my! Where did THAT come from???
Of course, Dr. ElBaradeiis an adult, and he shouldn't really be
surprised when the missile popsout of the box. Nor should he be
surprised when his Agency,charged with promoting nuclear power for
all, ends up promoting nuclearweapons for all as well.
But life is just full of surprises! Like when in 1999
thegovernment of Belgium asked if it was safe to send nuclear
technologyto Pakistan. ElBaradei was in "promoting nuclear power"
moderather than "stopping nuclear weapons" mode, and he
wrote backgiving a green light, saying there was no evidence
that Pakistan haddiverted any materials "for military purposes." A
few yearslater... Pop! Oh my! Where did THAT come from?
The double role of the IAEA is reflectedin its statutes which
stipulates that the IAEA "shall seek toaccelerate and enlarge the
contribution of atomic energy" but alsoensure "so far as it is
able" that this assistance "is not used in sucha way as to further
any military purpose."
Ha, ha. That's a goodone!
POP! Oh my!
Where did THAT come from?
"Designing a UNagency with such conflicting tasks has proven to
be a recipe fordisaster," says Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Truls
Gulowsen."Greenpeace has proposed to the Member States that the
IAEA isreformed, removing its nuclear power promotional role,
andstrengthening the nuclear weapons watchdog function. Nuclear
power isdangerous, dirty, expensive and increases the risk of
nuclear weaponproliferation. Rather than helping countries to
nuclear power, the UNshould focus on promoting safe renewable
energy, and do more to enforcethe obligation to nuclear disarmament
under the Treaty on theNon-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons."
Whereas the IAEA hasbeen quite successful in spreading civilian
nuclear power technologyand materials, it has failed in its
anti-proliferation mission. Israel,India, Pakistan and North Korea
have used the IAEA assistance for theircivilian nuclear programmes
to develop nuclear weapons. In addition,rather than minimizing the
availability of nuclear weapons-gradematerials, the IAEA has
contributed to the worrying trend in the last10 years of growing
global stockpiles of nuclear weapons-gradematerials (plutonium and
highly enriched uranium).
POP! Oh my!
Wheredid THAT come from?